Further Trial Information

The Allies also established the United Nations War Crimes Commission (the UNWCC) in 1943. The UNWCC collected evidence on Axis war crimes and drew up lists of suspected war criminals for Allied prosecution after the war. In 1944, a sub-commission of the UNWCC was established in Chungking to focus on the investigation of Japanese atrocities.

Japanese war crimes’ spectator pass

By the later part of 1945, the Allied Powers had agreed on war crimes trials as a means of pursuing justice. This set the stage for post-WWII trials. A select group of higher-ranking military and political Axis leaders would be jointly tried by the Allies at the Nuremberg Trial (19 November 1945 – 1 October 1946) and the Tokyo Trial (3 May 1945 – 12 November 1945). In addition and separate from the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials, individual Allied Powers and countries held national trials of Axis defendants in various locations, including Singapore.

Trials Chart (1)

Upon Japan’s surrender, the Allies began organizing war crimes investigations and prosecutions throughout Asia. At the Tokyo Trial, the Allies prosecuted only 28 high-ranking ‘Class A’ suspects from various government and military departments on charges linked to the waging of war and war crimes. Hundreds of lower-ranking ‘Class B’ and ‘Class C’ suspects of diverse ranks were prosecuted at other Allied trials operating across Asia.

It is hard to arrive at the exact number of Allied trials held in Asia, as there continues to be access restrictions to some national trial records. Some latest estimates of the number of war crimes trials held by different national authorities in Asia are as follows: China (605 trials), the US (456 trials), the Netherlands (448 trials), Britain (330 trials), Australia (294 trials), the Philippines (72 trials), and France (39 trials). In 1956, China prosecuted another four cases involving 1062 defendants, out of which 45 were sentenced and the rest acquitted. The Allies conducted these trials before military courts pursuant to national laws of the Allied Power concerned. Altogether 2244 war crimes prosecutions were conducted in Asia. 5700 defendants were prosecuted: 984 defendants were executed; 3419 sentenced to imprisonment; and 1018 acquitted.

Trials in Singapore

The British conducted national war crimes trials (the Singapore Trials) pursuant to a 1945 Royal Warrant adopted by the British executive under royal prerogative powers (1945 Royal Warrant). The British military was given the responsibility of implementing these trials in different locations across Asia and Europe. 330 trials were organized by the British military in Asia. Of these, 131 trials were conducted in Singapore.

From: Trove newspaper archives

As of mid-1946, the British military had established 12 war crimes courts in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Rangoon, Hong Kong, and Borneo. Eight of 12 courts established were located in Singapore. There were also ‘travelling courts’ that made their way to particular locations to hear a case.

Darwin, Japanese crime trials

Singapore served as the base for the British military’s war crimes investigations and prosecutions in Asia. Investigations were conducted out of Goodwood Park Hotel. Post-war conditions in Singapore posed many challenges to the organizing of these trials. There was a shortage of food, basic necessities, and qualified personnel in post-war Singapore.

Trials conducted in Singapore concerned not only Japanese military atrocities perpetrated in Singapore but those committed in other parts of Asia (see Tials Chart 1 above).

Trial Courtroom Judges

A substantial number of trials addressed the abuse and neglect of POWs and civilian detainees in prisons and camps, such as Changi Prison, Sime Road Prison, Outram Road Gaol, and Selarang Barracks.

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About GP Cox

Everett Smith served with the Headquarters Company, 187th Regiment, 11th A/B Division during WWII. This site is in tribute to my father, "Smitty."
GPCox is a member of the 11th Airborne Association. Member # 4511 and extremely proud of that fact!

I’d not thought about military and prison people from the losing side of the war being prosecuted after the war was over, I’d seen from other posts that POWs were often treated abominably but I feel it’s a good thing that commanders realise if they go too far even in times of war they can be prosecuted afterwards.

An interesting article. I remember reading somewhere that the Japanese had no respect for POW believing that soldiers should flight to the death. According to that article, this is why they disrespected and abused their prisoners so badly.

I am discovering that many were unaware of the Pacific trials. I suppose Nuremberg received most of the media attention (especially in Europe.). I find that odd for North America and Pacific nations, being as Japan attacked us, not Hitler.

I hadn’t realised that there were quite so many trials held and found your blog post quite reassuring really. I suspect that the tiny number for France is an effort, even in Vietnam, to hide the French fascination for Fascism with the Vichy French who fought on Hitler’s side in several theatres of the war.

The Chinese suffered enormously. I just found this in Wikipedia. “When they captured Singapore:
“The Japanese introduced the system of “Sook Ching”, meaning “purging through purification” in Chinese, to get rid of those, especially so ethnic Chinese, deemed to be hostile to the Empire of Japan (anti-Japanese elements in the local population). The Sook Ching Massacre claimed the lives of between 25,000 and 50,000 ethnic Chinese.

I’m far from a math whiz — in fact, I’m just the opposite and I know almost nothing about statistics. Still, I couldn’t help noticing the distribution of the executed, imprisoned, and pardoned. If you drew that as a graph, it would make a rough bell curve — which is extremely interesting, given the impossibility of such a thing being planned.

And you’re right about the lemon cookies. They ruined them. (Here’s a heretical hint: the Oreo thins with the mint filling are better than the GSA thin mints, and even the family size of Oreos is cheaper!)

I do know that they tried to make the trials fair by giving the defendants both an American and Japanese attorney. Bell curves and graphs make my eyes glaze over!! Thanks for coming, Linda and giving me the low-down on the cookies!!!

Some Koreans were tried, but not in Korea. The most prominent ethnic Korean convicted was Lieutenant General Hong Sa Ik, who orchestrated the organization of prisoner of war camps in Southeast Asia. In 2006, the South Korean government “pardoned” 83 of the 148 convicted Korean war criminals.(Why? I don’t know) One hundred-sixty Taiwanese who had served in the forces of the Empire of Japan were convicted of war crimes and 11 were executed.

I’m sure there was Korean collusion with Japanese, I was wondering why the Korean government didn’t have trials against the Japanese war criminals who raped and Korean women and children which was orchestrated by the Japanese army. The Japanese people worshiped their Emperor like a god, he should’ve been held accountable also, he was complicit in the crimes.

Yes, my parents and grandparents were under Japanese occupation in Korea. It destroyed my grandfather, he died in his early 40s and my grandmother had to survive raising 4 daughters alone. That’s why I can’t forget what was done to my country of origin.

GP, the loss of the crew of the C-130 Crew hit us all hard in Australia. They were our “ brothers” and I can tell you that as the event unfolded strangers were crying and holding each other in the streets.
These fires have been ugly and we are only just past the halfway mark of summer. The assistance from firemen from all over the world truly is appreciated and I’m sure the loss of life has been limited because of their efforts.
Our grief is your grief.

Thank you very much for your kind words. I’ve known many a fireman in my life and know they would all go help if they could. I’ve been following the news on your fires and hope they come to an end soon!!!

Very interesting that, even though a privileged few heard about Khabarovsk trial (it was not covered in official press), no details were given, and the reports were published in English. Now that you got me curious, I’ll search the Russian sources.

The author is micro-biologist, and this scientific paper was part of his dissertation that later on was incorporated into a book published in 2006. From what I gather, before 2006 NOBODY knew anything about it, but as a retired military physician and a scientist, this author undoubtedly had access to highly classified information.

Thanks for this interesting nugget of information on war trials in Singapore. Goodwood Hotel still exists and I will remember your this post when I next dine there. My lil red dot info I never knew till you shared GP. Thanks

as challenging as this was, it was so necessary for so many reasons. an important process for the beginning of healing, to tell the world what has happened, to find some measure of justice, and, to find some closure

I thank you very much for linking with my site. As I’ve told you in the past, I find I am unable to click on a ‘Like’ button or comment on your blog. I don’t know what the trouble is and I feel bad about it.